


Little Bookshop. Great Acquisitions.

by icecreamsuki



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-19 18:43:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16540064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icecreamsuki/pseuds/icecreamsuki
Summary: All I wanted was a set of books. And I got them… instantly, freely, and embarrassingly.





	Little Bookshop. Great Acquisitions.

**Author's Note:**

> Written in Sho’s POV. This is based on a story from twitter.

A list of book titles compiled after several penniless bookshop visits was saved in my phone. 

I have been looking forward to my short leave from work to dedicate it to leisure reading which I have been postponing for the longest time due to the demands of my job. The thought of lying on a couch near my windowsill all day with only my books to keep me company was what motivated me to complete my tasks on time these past few weeks.

I was a junior researcher for a late-night news television program. Verifying facts, writing scripts for news anchors, as well as the occasional trips abroad was what made this job really interesting for me. The next goal was the news announcer position but I knew that I still needed to develop my skills and make the most of my current position.

Hence, the list of book titles.

I wanted to broaden my horizon and not just settle with the usual news on Politics and Economics.

It was named Ninokuniya - a play on the name Kinokuniya, apparently. My stupid friend named his bookshop such, without a care for patent rights, since he thought it would be intriguing to anyone who would pass by. 

A yellow post-it with book titles written hastily was what I used to greet Nino who was incidentally sitting by the cashier of his shop playing with his Nintendo DS. Granted it was still morning and his shop had just opened with no customer around, but it was just like Nino to be carefree like that.

After I placed the post-it facing him with a loud tap of the wooden counter, he looked up and eyed me - curiously at first, then suspiciously next.

"Hey Nino, can you please check the availability of these books?" I asked, modulating my voice to sound friendly and pleasant in the morning to gain his favor.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.

I was curious of the history of the Nazis. I must have dozed off in school when it was discussed or perhaps it wasn't discussed entirely. The fact that it was seen through the eyes of a young girl was what clicked within me.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. 

I worked as a freelance writer for families or institutions asking for donations for sick children back during university days - mostly those with cancer or leukemia. I wanted to grasp the emotions and the way of thinking of these patients in one way or another.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

This was a book that I was simply curious about. Not that I wanted to be a fiction writer since I was a journalist by heart, but to be transported to a different world through the power of words in their elaborate descriptions was captivating to me.

Love Poems by Pablo Neruda

Poetry - my guilty pleasure and something I secretly indulge myself in during my spare time. On some days, when inspiration would strike, I would write a verse or two in a little notebook locked in my office desk. Also, I find satisfaction at times in a book that doesn't need to be read from cover to cover. Simply opening the book to a random page and savoring the words - somewhat perfect while indulging in tea time.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I came across the trailer of the movie when my workmates were watching it in Youtube through someone's phone. More than the premise that the lead character was crazy rich, I was curious how they would depict the intricacies of the Chinese culture and customs. I felt that a film wouldn't be able to do it justice. I would prefer to read the entire book before watching the film.

Five books. I thought it wouldn't be so hard for Nino to accommodate my requests.

He threw a cursory look at the post-it - my handwriting occupying the entire page - and snorted as he resumed his gaming.

"Do you even have money to pay for those now?" Nino said snarkily, not even gracing me with a glance.

Truth be told, I couldn't blame him. I lost count of the number of times I went to his shop just to breeze through the titles and read snippets, and not buy anything at all. Maybe Nino did keep track - calculating that he was.

"Come on! You have nothing else better to do anyway," I appealed. I earned a simple raising of an eyebrow and an over-the-top gesture towards his game.

But I was not one to be deterred. "I'll just go to the record store nearby. When I come back, I expect to have the availability of these books checked," I said in the most imperative voice I could muster. Nino only snorted but somehow, I knew he'll do what I asked of him. 

The record store a block away was another safe haven in this side of the city. They had old-school vinyl records in sound proof rooms adorned with a small couch. They also allow listening to CDs with quality headphones without cutting people off. It was a good thing I came in the morning so there were less people around.

When I came back to the bookshop, Nino immediately gave me a thumbs up when I passed by him. There were more people then compared to when I first came in, considering that I inadvertently spent an hour at the record shop after being intrigued by a rap album. 

As I turned to proceed to the shelves, a familiar book cover caught my eye. Crazy Rich Asians had distinct colors on its cover so I was quite sure of what I saw. Looking at the spine of the other books on the pile, I found that they were exactly the same as those in my list. 

These books were being carried by a lean guy, around an inch or so taller than me, wearing a pair of glasses with black frames. He wasn't wearing the Ninokuniya apron that Nino made his employees wear. I checked, since I suspected Nino had made someone do the job I asked of him. No, this guy was wearing a purple sweater over a V-neck shirt and dark jeans, his bangs covering his forehead and reaching his eyebrows.

"Hey, these are my books," the guy chuckled softly. "You look like you're ready to steal them from me," he said teasingly as he handed the books to the cashier. 

I looked at Nino pointedly, quietly demanding an explanation, but the stubborn idiot just continued checking the prices of the books handed to him.

"These are the last stocks for all these books," Nino said carelessly as he continued entering the prices in hia computer.

"Nino, you told me the books I listed are available!" I hissed at my so-called friend. By this time, I knew that I may appear to be a desperate lunatic, itching to snatch those books and run away. 

Seriously, though, how could someone choose and buy the same set of books as I wanted? Besides, I was only gone for an hour! It wasn't even an hour - it was just fifty minutes or so. 

"These are the last stocks Sho-kun. You know the rule: First Come, First Served. Sorry," Nino dared to say even though it was evident that he wasn't sorry at all, that bastard.

"Let me remind you that I came first! Exactly during opening time, I was here," I reasoned. I decided that I wouldn't give up that easily.

"You just asked the availability of the books, Sho-kun. I didn't have any reassurance that you would buy them. Business is business," Nino simply said.

Unbelievable!

There were times before when I imagined wringing Nino's neck when he was being an insufferable brat. How I would like to make it a reality then.

And then it hit me. Was it all just a prank? Nino was humming softly as placed all the books into a paper bag and handed it to the stranger. 

 

For a while, I had the urge to ask the stranger if I could borrow one of the books since it wasn't likely that he would read all 5 books at the same time anyway. But it was too forward, even for me. Besides, putting things in perspective, there were other bookshops in the vicinity anyway. It wasn't like Nino had the monopoly of business in the area. 

Just when I accepted this minor setback in my plans, another paper bag magically appeared in front of me, being handed by the purple-sweater stranger. 

"These are for you," he simply said with a shy, toothy smile.

When I inspected the contents, it was exactly the books that I wanted. There was a receipt inside implying that it was indeed paid for. Each of us were carrying a paper bag then.  
“You are joking, right?” I asked in utter incredulity, but when I looked up at him, he was frustratingly calm and collected.

"Not at all. One set for me and one for you," he happily said as he turned towards the exit. 

I was rooted to my spot, unsure if this was real. The number of pranks Nino played had made me doubt the reality of the situation. Jaw dropped and eyes bulging in disbelief - I must have appeared like a weirdo at that moment.

"I need to hurry and pick up a package for my sister right now," he called out. "But for starters, why don't we go have coffee one of these days to discuss the poems you secretly adore?" He said with a boyish smile before he disappeared through the exit door completely.

I looked at Nino in a desperate plea to make sense of the events of the past couple of minutes.He just shrugged at me and went to work with his inventory.

A soft ringing of the bell indicated another visitor of the bookshop. It was an employee wearing a brown apron wearing the brightest smile I had seen that day.

"What's up, Sho-chan?" he said as he tapped my shoulder and bounced away with a skip on his steps.

"Sho-kun got himself a secret admirer," Nino said loud enough for the whole shop to hear. 

Some heads turned to our direction and I quickly fled in embarrassment.

There was no sign of the generous stranger outside the shop. It was too generous of a gift that I couldn't simply accept. 

I took the receipt to check how much I owe the man, but when I flipped the small paper, there were two lines written in black ink.

The first was a name. The second was a phone number.

I looked around the area and only found the owner of the nearby bakeshop picking his nose and staring into space. 

I brought out my phone to save the contact details under the name he had given.

Jun.

I guess we'll see each other again.

**Author's Note:**

> might write a version from Jun's POV


End file.
